The bird in the snare
by FranklyCatty
Summary: GaleXKatniss ending... Some Peeta bashing, but I don't really like Peeta.
1. Chapter 1

Fear ran off my body as sweat. I keep recalling the same phrase I told myself in 13 and adding more to keep myself sane: My name is Katniss Everdeen, I am 17, I survived the Hunger Games twice, Peeta was captured by the Capital and Gale's team saved him, Peeta loves me. Prim is dead. I killed Coin. I am going back in to the Games again, I'm sure.

I remembered the first time I came here, with Effie, Haymitch, and Peeta. Back when nobody cared about my life, back when I did everything right. Then to keep the Hunger Games out of my head, I remembered life after the Games. How I held my breath every time Gale went underground. How Peeta and I were so cold to each other. How we would kiss on camera to look good. Snow coming to my house. Gale getting whipped. Prim taking care of him. Prim. I cried for who knows how long. When my tears ran out I sat on the bed and stared not allowing myself to sleep afraid of the dream that surly would come. I saw at the door several platters of food sitting there. There were six I was here about 3 days, but I wasn't going to eat. If I could help it I wouldn't be going back into the Games.

Eventually, two guards came and carried me out because I was too weak to move. I tried to reach for their guns thinking I could shoot myself before I entered the capsules. They took me to the ship that would take me to the arena. Haymitch was there already there.

"Sweetheart." He said in his usual voice not bothering to keep the ice out of it.

I didn't answer thinking of ways I could I kill myself quickly before anyone could save me.

A few minuets later a worker came by with a syringe. The tracker I thought. But I didn't feel the tracker in my arm, I fell asleep instantly. I was trapped in my nightmare, I couldn't wake and I didn't have Peeta's arms around to comfort me. I lived it over and over again. But in this dream I couldn't tell myself it didn't happen. Everything in my dream happened. I just relived them.

For the next month I sat in my chair at home in 12 and let Hazelle, Peeta, and Greasy Sae, take care of me. I did nothing. But watch Gale on TV. He was commander of the army living in 2. He had plenty of girls without patchwork skin. He never lived in the games. Several times I would throw something at Gale's head on TV. Only a couple of times did I mean it to hurt him; mostly I was just mad and had to get it out. Peeta stopped babying me trying to get me to move.

I finally got out of the chair and dressed myself one morning. I didn't even bother with my hair pulled on my father's hunting gear and left the door. It was almost odd walking again. Though it was early in the morning, some people were up. There was a huddle of people in the square pulling up the tower that held Gale when the Peacekeepers whipped him. I walked over to them and in the dim light recognized some of the town's people. Greasy Say was in the group and almost dropped her chain that she was pulling.

"Here" I said my voice crackling with lack of use.

"Katniss Everdeen! I thought you would never get off that chair. You just never run out of surprises for us do you." Greasy Sae said to me. Several heads turned at my name and one dropped his hat to me. I smiled not knowing what to do. Then took up the chain and helped the group with the pillar. Finally it came up and we all cheered and I finally felt like I destroyed something that everyone helped me with.

Later on I joined another group with the Justice building. I climbed the stairs that I walked on my way to the games. The pang growing stronger and stronger with each step. Finally I dropped and lay on the cold stone sobbing and sobbing. I felt strong arms lift me. Peeta had come for me.

"Sorry." I mumbled into his arms.

"I feel like this a lot. Besides this is what friends do, you can add that to the list." He almost made me smile.

"Thanks."

The next week followed similarly and often I would join Peeta for breakfast before going to the town to help set it up again. Haymitch would sometimes be up but often we just let him sleep. To help me sleep Peeta and I slept on my couch often after the evening news broadcast. Gale was often in these broadcasts.


	2. Chapter 2

It was evening again and Peeta and I were eating cookies he made with some drink Gale's mother concocted for us. She and the rest of Gale's family stayed in my house. It was a huge house and I wanted to protect Gale's family like he did for me. The TV was on again and this time it was an exclusive interview with Gale.

"So Gale," started Caesar, "Do you miss your family?"

"I think of them every day, but I am very busy which helps."

"Aren't you going to send for them?"

"Mother wanted to stay in 12, it's home for all of us."

"What about your father? Does he want to come to 2?"

"Dad… Dad would want to stay in 12. He always told me 'home is the place where you protect, love, and live.'"

"We don't hear much of your dad, is he with your mother?"

"Dad never left 12…. He was killed many years ago in a mine explosion. I was 15 at he time."

The crowd sighed for his pity, my heart sank.

"I'm so sorry." Caesar told Gale. "But since we are on your childhood, can you tell us the rest?"

"O.K, after that I started hunting in the woods for food and money. I sold meat in the black market. I met many a great people there. Greasy Sae always made sure I had a full stomach when I left; I owe her many meals. Not too long after that, I met Katniss." The crowd gasped and Caesar asked,

"The Mockingjay?"

Gale smiled, "There's only one. Her father died in the same explosion that took my dad, so she was doing the same as I was. Trying to save her family from starvation. I was amazed how she was able to shoot so precisely with her bow. She shot them in the eye every time, she told me it was so she could get a good price for the fur. I only set up traps, but we became hunting partners and good friends out of pure survival. The day Prim was reaped for the Hunger Games; we had met to set the traps over again. I told her we could run. I put my name in 42 times that day for extra food. I was afraid I was going to be picked. She must have done some where around that number." Gale broke off for a moment. "She went to the games, I watched over her family, I knew she would do the same for me. I thought I would never see her again. I started working in the mines doing a shift a day, barely going into the woods. I think that was better for me. The night she kissed Peeta, I could have easily crushed a bear's bones in my hands I was so angry." Gale's voice crackled again as he said, "I love her, and I thought she love me back. But I was so stupid." Gale was starting to crack again, I could see the way his eyes turned. "I started to work three shifts everyday but Sunday. I was relieved when she returned home alive. But she kept hiding things from me. We barely spoke. I could tell she was angry and scared. Then she went to the victor's tour. When I saw Peeta propose to her, I thought I was over. She kept telling me she and Peeta was just a Capital thing and if she didn't Snow was going to kill her family. I think that was the only thing keeping me sane. Knowing she really didn't love Peeta. Peacekeepers came in full. Katniss became too busy on Sunday to go hunting with me. Too busy doing the wedding dress photo shoot. I was so angry I wasn't careful coming back. I had only the turkey to sell, and the way Snow was manipulating her. You can imagine. Actually you can't….Sorry, Caesar."

"That's O.K. Gale, you're angry still."

"I got caught. So the Peacekeepers took me to the pillar ripped my shirt from my back and started to whip me. I soon started to blur in and out of focus then I heard Katniss' voice and first I thought 'I'm saved' then I saw her fall to the ground her eye bleeding the I wanted to jump in front of her, to protect her."

The Caser interrupted, "Gale, would you mind showing us your scars from the whipping?"

"Yes, I would love to show you what you inflicted upon us." With a cool tone in his voice then proceeded to take off his shirt. Several female voices cheered as they saw his bare chest, then everyone gasped as he turned around to show his scared back. Peeta quickly flicked off the TV. I felt sick; the Capital people that weren't affected acted just like they did in the games. Full of gossip, I shuddered as I thought of Haymitch's words on the train. "You're never getting off this train. Every year they will bring out you and Peeta and broadcast your love story." Then Gale's voice broke the fog in my head. The day I was reaped. "They just want a good show, that's all."

"I need to see Haymitch." I said trying to hold my tears from Peeta.

"Katniss," Peeta's soft voice whispered out as he lightly held my arm.

"No, Peeta. I'm going to see Haymitch. I need to get a breath."

I had a feeling Peeta knew I needed a drink with Haymitch. I also need to go into the woods. I could scream my lungs out and nobody but the animals could hear me.

Haymitch was asleep, fortunally. I grabbed some clear bottles of who knows what and ran out the door. Tears were spilling before I got to the fence. Somebody had cut the wire in rebellion. I never saw that when I was here earlier with Gale. My fists clenched at the thought of Gale. I ran faster until I was tripping over my feet. 'Good thing it's summer.' I thought of the way Peeta would find me if he could find me. Gale would know just where to find me. But Gale hates me. If he loved me he would have come back to me when I needed him. I stopped at the rock Gale and I sat on often, pulled out a bottle of drink and drank deeply. The liquid burned my throat but I drank more anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

The sun hit my face full force and I woke. I pulled my hair out of my and realized I had sick dried to my hair and face. UGG! That is so grouse. I picked myself up and with a dizzy head made my way to the creek that ran through the woods and washed. When I was washed and puked a few more times made my way up to the village. Coming up to the fence I heard a rumble in the ground. A train. My mind floats back to the reaping. They were coming to reap another boy and girl from 12. No. I had to stop this. I ran home as fast as I could.

"Peeta! Peeta! Peeta!" I called his name over and over praying he wasn't at the square. I didn't hear him at all. Then I ran back to the square. People were cheering at the stopped train. This didn't make any sense. Then stacks of wood and cement, shingles were loaded off the train. Supplies from the Capital were sent here so we could finish rebuilding. My heart slowed from two beats a second, to a nice even beat a second.

"Good morning Sweetheart. There was a monster that snuck into my house last night, stole my whisky." Haymitch smiled at me his stare nagging me.

"I'm not a monster." I retorted.

"Well you still owe me," he looked at the sky and counted on his fingers nodding his head here and there, "five bottles of whisky."

"I only stole three bottles." I complained.

"Three for the ones you stole, one for the misery I went through when Peeta woke me up at four in the morning because you hadn't come home, and one because you don't appreciate me."

I didn't have the energy to argue, so I agreed.

I found Peeta by the station hulling sacks of flour and sugar on to carts to be distributed to the shops in the town. His biceps seemed to grow with each hundred pound sack he heaved.

"Hey, Katniss!" My head swiveled to a red-head waving at me. Of course, Marcus, the only one left from Gale's original gang. Marcus was nice to me and we were friends because of Gale, but Marcus could be, well, annoying. But he did offer to take me into the woods, so I should be thankful for several good friends like him.

"Hey, Marcus." I called back at him.

"What did you roll in," he said holding his nose as he approached me. "You do know you are to bring your kill directly up to town, right?" He smirked at his own brilliancy.

"Got drunk last night." I answered simply, not wanting to go on about Gale.

"What did Peeta do? He was going on about how it was his fault you ran."

"He asked you to look for me too?"

"Yea, in the woods. I said you'd come back when you were ready."

"Thanks. At least someone understands me. Haymitch just got me to buy five whiskies instead of just replacing the three I drank."

Marcus stared at me with disbelief, "You drank three whiskies? Man, you were seriously upset last night. Wow, wait till I tell Hank, he'll never believe it." And Marcus left me muttering "Three whiskies, what a girl."

Soon enough I got to Peeta, actually it was easy since everyone made a nice clear line so they wouldn't have to touch me. 'I must really stink,' I thought.

"Katniss." Peeta jumped off the train as soon as he saw me and hugged me though I still had bits of puke in my hair and dried sick on my shirt.

"Sorry," I mumbled, "I should let you work, the train leaves again in twenty minutes. I'll be at the house."

"Katniss, tell me the truth, are you O.K." Peeta sounded concerned but strict at the same time.

"I'm fine."

"Liar."

"I need a shower."

"See you later." Peeta hopped back on the train maybe going faster than he was before, but I didn't really pay attention.

I filled up the tub with hot water from the tap. I, unlike many in 12 was used to this luxury. As I climbed into the tub, the phone in my room rang. I picked it up knowing Vick, Rory, and Hazelle were out.

"Hello?" I asked the cordless devise.

"Katniss Everdeene?" asked the other end.

"This is Katniss."

"Hello Katniss dear, it's Portia."

"Hi Portia." I hardly spoke to her, but she did help me here and there.

"Peeta isn't here, he's in town unloading the train." I said sinking into my hot bath, it felt so nice to sink into the water.

"No, I want to speak to you. Katniss, what if I told you we could restore you original look."

"I'm done with the huge Capital style, but thanks Portia."

"No, your natural-look before the, accident." Portia paused on the word accident, obviously not wanting to upset me.

"Like you could get rid of my patchwork skin?" I sat up in the tub listening closely.

"Yes, dear. We couldn't have the Mockingjay look like she's half plucked."

"But how?"

"It would be a long process, but a good one. We would grow new skin off your DNA, then take your false skin off and put your skin on."

"I, I don't know. How long would it take."

"Only a few weeks, most of it would be the time your skin is growing. About two days total that we need you. And your hair is so simple."

"Really?" I imagined my hair thick and long, like it was.

"Dear, we have the latest technology, of course we can?" Portia laughed at my stupidity, like everyone has his or her skin and hair regrown. But being this is the Capitol, everyone might just have had their skin redone.

"O.K., then. Would Peeta have this done too."

"I haven't talked to him, but sure!"

"Excellent. Portia, I'll talk to him, but count me in."

"We'll come for that DNA soon. Until then Katniss!"

"Bye Portia!" and I hung up.


	4. Chapter 4

It felt like an hour until I finally got my whole body clean. But when I did, I dressed and went downstairs to wash my clothes. I had just gotten my garments into the wash, when the door opened reviling Posy and Hazelle.

"Hello, dear." Said Hazelle

"Hello Hazelle, hey Posy."

"You look sick." Said Posy, again stating the obvious.

"Um, Katniss?" Hazelle asked me.

"Yea."

"Could you watch Posy for me, I have to clean Haymitch's and well you and I both know she couldn't last long there." Hazelle smiled.

"Sure, I was going to go to town now anyway." I lifted Posy to my back and she giggled.

"Thank you, Katniss. I owe you."

"Not at all, we love hanging out right, Posy?"

"Bye Mum!" answered Posy, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Want to see Peeta?" I asked Posy as I went out the door.

"Can I have a cookie?" Posy asked.

"I'm sure Peeta has something for you." I answered.

Sure enough Peeta had a plate of cookies for Posy to choose from.

"Want one." Peeta held the plate to me.

"No, thanks." I said indicating to my stomach.

"Right. Five bottles of Vodka?" He smiled.

"No, it was three bottles of whisky." I said, "Who told you that?"

"Some old man that just came in. He was fairly impressed you could still breath after five Vodka's from last night."

"Peeta, what if you had the opportunity to look like you did before, would you do it?"

"I like you now!" said Posy

"Katniss, your delusional! We will never look the same. Get that into your head."

"No, I just got off the phone with Portia. We could."

Peeta paused then said, "I would, but it's impossible."

"I'll call Portia." And I got up to the phone.

"Katniss, maybe you should do this in the morning. Have this." Peeta gave me a glass of red stuff.

"Tomato juice." Peeta answered my question. Then when my face asked an explanation, "it helps settle your stomach."

"Thanks."

"No problem, beautiful."

"Peeta?"

"Yea." Peeta went to the kitchen and Posy followed. Posy and Peeta seemed like such a team, it might be odd not to see them together.

"I thought about Gale last night, about what he said."

Peeta looked up at me before answering, "Listen, Katniss. I'm really sorry you watched that, I should have changed the channel. Besides, do you think Gale would have stayed away from you if he loved you?" Peeta looked straight into my eyes.

"I love you, Katniss." Posy chirped as she stirred flowers together, spraying white powder in her face.

"Course you do, Posy. Come on, we have some things to do around town for your mother. I'll come back in a bit, Peeta."

"K, see you."

Gale must love me. I thought as we entered the General Store. He loves me. I can't live with Peeta forever. We made it work. No, we acted. Peeta didn't act. Gale and I belong together. Peeta and I went though hell together. Gale supported me. Gale doesn't understand. Gale loves me. Gale left you. He'll come back. He won't. Yes, he-

"Katniss?" Posy pulled me out of my mind argument.

"Yea." I looked down at her. She was so sweet and innocent, just like Prim.

"Gale loves you."

"I-I know."

"He asked me to give you this. But don't tell Peeta, it's a secret." I smiled at Posy. She found little things so amusing.

"Thanks, Posy. O.K., we need milk, cheese, grits, lettuce…" and soon I was lost in shopping. It was only when I got home did I remember the note Gale gave me. After I put the grocies away, I turn to Posy,

"Posy, I need to go to the woods. Can you find Rory and play with him?"

"Are you going to drink, Mom says that's bad."

"No, Posy, I'm not going to drink. I just need to think." I bend down and give Posy a big hug. "See you in a bit." Then I grab my father's jacket and head out the door.

I doesn't take long for me to reach our rock and I pull out Gale's letter to me:

Hey Catnip,

Why aren't you answering my letters? I know you're mad at me, but please Catnip answer me. Even if it's to tell me to go to hell, I would enjoy you letters. Beetee and I are working on weapons and such for our spy squad. Beetee wants you to test our new bows. Apparently the few years under my belt of bow don't allow me to use our new bows. Johanna is here, training. She is turning out to be really good. I don't think I want to get to her bad side if she has a knife on her. Beetee and Johanna send their love.

Hope to see you soon,

Gale

I felt so stupid. He didn't love me, he just needed me so he could have his own line of bows. 'Never Gale.' I thought as trudged back home. I reached the fence as the train rolled in.

"Hey," I said my feet as I walked into Peeta's shop.

"Hey Katniss." Peeta said cheerfully looking up from his display of Fall cookies.

"Ok, what's up." Peeta asked me.

"Gale gave me a letter."

"And your mad at him."

"No."

"No?!"

"No, Prim wasn't his fault."

"Then why are you mad?"

"He wants to use me. He wants me to go to 2 to try out some new bows he and Beetee made."

"That, sweetheart, isn't using. That's desperate." Haymitch said. I jumped and swung around with a pen from the desk then lowered it. Peeta began shaking his head in a silent 'no'. "You see, Katniss," Haymitch went on ignoring Peeta, "Gale just wants to see you again. But if he leaves that choice to you, then he can't barge into your life when you're not ready. I think you should go."

I nodded then looked at the beginning of the letter. "I haven't been getting any letters from Gale. Peeta, Haymitch, explain." I demanded.

"Well, Gale sent you a letter about two months, but you seemed really mad at him so, we kept the letters. It was for your own good, Katniss." Peeta told me.

"Are you sure, Peeta? I'm pretty sure you just want to keep as much distance between Gale and I as possible. We have been separated and gone though different hells and stayed together, so good luck with that."

"Katniss, we need each other. How will you get a nights sleep with out me?"

"I don't sleep, if you haven't noticed Peeta. And you just need me. I can survive without you."

"Katniss, please don't leave me. You promised." As Peeta pleaded, I remember telling Peeta I would always stay with him, no matter what.

"You wanted to propose to me then."

"So."

"So, married people aren't supposed to keep things like letters from good friends away from each other."

"I thought you would leave me. I'm sorry." Peeta looked down at his shoes.

"Why don't you just leave." Peeta yelled at me.

"I wasn't going to leave, I just wanted answers."

"Liar!" and Peeta lunged for my throat. My air way instantly collapsed and I struggled with Peeta to breath. Haymitch grabbed Peeta and rolled him off.

"Katniss, you ok." Haymitch sat on Peeta who was still struggling. I nodded in response rubbing my neck.

"Don't miss the train. Besides, Peeta probably shouldn't see you for a while. Johanna is your size, so don't worry about packing." Haymitch told me. I headed for the door, and Peeta yelled at me, "NEVER COME BACK KATNISS EVERDEENEE!"


	5. Chapter 5

I headed for the door, and Peeta yelled at me, "NEVER COME BACK KATNISS EVERDEENEE!"

I knew he wasn't sane, but it still ripped at me all the way through the whole two day journey to 2. When I actually got to 2, I was shocked. The whole area was like stepping into a bomb plant.

"Where to miss?" the taxi driver asked, he probably said it a few times, but I never heard him.

"Oh, sorry. I need to see Gale Hawthorne."

"Sorry, miss. Captain Hawthorne told me not to take any strange girls there. Very busy man, but brilliant."

"I'm his best friend, please I need to see him."

"Katniss Everdeenee?"

"Yea." I said smiling.

"Yea, don't care. But I will tell you where he works." And the taxi driver gave me directions to Gale's building.

The walk was easy until I got to the Gate. This gate was designed to keep those who don't belong out.

"Name and purpose." A woman's voice sounded though a metal box on the side of the gate.

"Katniss Everdeenee, to see Gale Hawthorne."

"Please wait."

"Gale here." Gale's voice came though the speakers.

"Gale, it's me, Katniss. Can I come in?"

"Hilarious. Katniss won't see me."

"Gale, it's me. I swear."

"That's what you all see." So this is why the taxi driver wouldn' drive me.

"Gale, I give you three seconds before I head home to Posy, and Rory, and Vick, and Hazelle, and Haymitch, and Peeta." Peeta was the secret word. The gate creaked open and two guards appeared. The escorted me, no dragged me, to Gale's office. Gale wasn't in the room, but the secretary had me sit and wait for him. It felt like hours until Johanna came into the room. She plopped her sweaty body in frount of me.

"So she did come." Johanna said to me, eyeing me down.

"Nice to see you too, Johanna."

"Gosh, girlfriend, what happened to you, you're a-a"

"I know, a patchwork doll." But all the same, Johanna pulled me into an unexpected hug.

"Gale's gone crazy without you."

"Really?"

"Yea. He keeps drowning himself in his work. Come." And Johanna pulled me down the hall into a large room filled with all sorts of weapons.

"Look who joined us!" Johanna sang.

"Tell Di- Catnip?" Gale stared at me then ran to me. I flung my arms around him. It felt good to be in his strong arms again. He still had a slight smell of the mines. As I sucked him in, I felt tears start to form in my eyes.

"I missed you Gale." I felt so stupid saying this, but once it was out, there was no way I could take it back.

"I missed you too. Catnip, I so sorry, it's my entire fault. I should have never let those plans out for Coin to get."

"I'm not mad at you for that."

"But, everyone said you hated me for that."

"No, I was mad because you never came. Gale you left me for a whole year and never said boo." I kept calm so I could stay in his arms, but anger boiled in side of me.

"Oh." Gale pressed his lips into my hair.

"Hey, it's ok, I wont hold it against you. Peeta and Haymitch are to blame too."

"What do you mean?"

"They kept your letters away from me. I'm guessing it was mostly Peeta."

"How's home?"

"Posy has grown so much, she has become a real lady. Vick is an A student and loves to learn. I swear he has a head as big as the stars to be able to fit all of this stuff in. Rory is like you, exactly. It's like watching you grow up again. Hazelle keeps Haymitch's house, just to keep us sane when we go there. Haymitch has been forced to keep his drinking down, you can imagine what he is like now. Peeta reopened his parent's shop, business is really flowing."

"Katniss," Gale interrupted me, "How are _you_. How are you holding up."

"From the beginning?"

"I've got time." Gale smiled. I glanced around the room; Johanna and Beetee were gone, thank God. I'd probably end up crying.

"When they took me after I killed Coin, I thought I would be going back to the Games. I just wanted to kill myself before they took me and put me back into the games. So I tried to starve myself. Then they showed up, and I tried every last resort to kill myself. When they took me to the plane, I knew. When we arrived home, I didn't understand. Then everyday I thought of Prim and you. I didn't want to live, I had lost all will to live. I would watch you on TV just to see your face again. I refused to move from my chair. Peeta, Hazelle and Greasy Sae took care of me. I owe them a lot. Then after about three months, I decided I need to move on, that you weren't coming back. I started helping rebuilding 12. Peeta and I helped each other where we could. I was just surviving with him. Not surviving because I was with him. Gale, he keeps going crazy and I can't stop him. If he gets toppled mentally, he snaps and tries to kill me every time. He doesn't do it with anybody else. And I just get so scared every time were together alone. I don't think either of us could handle it anymore." And my water works started. I slid down the wall I was leaning against and held my head in my knees. Gale sat next to me and held me. I cried into his shoulder and he cooed to me until I calmed down.

"Haymitch told me to get on the train. So here I am."

"You really watched me?"

"Yea, the camera's sure loved you."

"I'm starting to understand why you hate it."

"It's a little annoying, right?" I smiled for probably the first time since Gale left.

"You only smiled in the woods, what's wrong with you Katniss?" Gale joked chuckling.

"I only smiled when I was with you."

"Gale, when you were gone, I realized how much I really needed you." And without warning, Gale pulled me into a long kiss. I let my body go limp as the electricity ran though my body. When I kissed Peeta, it was just a kiss. When I kissed Gale, it was like a bomb that Gale designed. Taking me away.

"Gale," We had pulled apart, but kept our lips close together.

"Yes, Catnip?"

"How long can I stay here?"


	6. Chapter 6

"Don't aim for the obvious, go for the spots that will be affected and will protect you." Johanna and I were boxing, and she was giving me tips. No, she was telling me everything I was doing wrong. Witch was quite often. I aimed for her stomach, and my fist came hard into her. She fell over and I caught my chance to sit on her. She squirmed, but I rolled her and handcuffed her. Mission completed, I thought.

"Good," Johanna puffed. I looked at my arm.  
>"Running next." I told Johanna.<p>

"K,"

We got up and went to change. In the hallway, Beetee passed by.

"Katniss?" Beetee called.

"Yea."

"We've got some more bows to test."

"Now?"

"Yea." And I followed Beetee out to the testing room.

Millions of bows lined the walls, most of them I already tried. Some were to be reproduced others I liked, and were being used in the military.

"We have a few here." Gale told me when I entered. I picked up the first bow.

"Wow, it's really heavy." I told Gale as I picked up the first. I picked up an arrow and aimed for the target. I pulled back, though I struggled with it. And shot.

The bow turned as I released the arrow, and it landed in the wall about ten feet off my target.

"O.K, that was a bad bow." Beetee said as Gale takes that bow and hands me another.

"Maybe she's just really off." Johanna tells the room. Beetee and Gale exchange a look and Gale says,

"Catnip is never off."

"Whatever." Johanna says as I release the next arrow. It lands in the bulls-eye.

"Good bow, though a little stiff. But over all good job."

"What about this one." Gale gave a smaller one wooden with an aluminum string. Beetee scribbled notes about the last two bows and looked at me.

"Why is it metal?" I asked Gale. I never saw anything like it before.

"It can withstand a huge bombing. We're still working on it. Just try it." Gale smiled encouragingly at me. I pulled back. It was surprisingly easy to pull. I breathed down the arrow aiming for the target. I let the arrow fly.

"WOOSH." The arrow landed in the bulls-eye and went through and through the target.

"Whoa! That is one awesome bow. It's really powerful though."

Gale smiled at me, "That's the whole point Catnip. Think what it could do with Beetee's fire arrows."

"We aren't killers. Most people don't get jollies out of blowing up building and people. No." I was furious. They were building these bows just to kill people. I was helping them. I threw the bow across the room and ran. I'm not sure where I ran to; I didn't care, not anymore. I should have stayed in 12 with Peeta. Peeta even gets mad at me when I kill animals, people would be out of the question. Prim wouldn't do this. Prim who died because Gale made plans for a bomb. His bomb destroyed her. In his fury at the Capital, he created a bomb that would destroy many in the first impact, then more when people came to help. People like Prim.

"Catnip? Can we talk?" Gale was at the door. I take in my surroundings before opening the door. I had walked into a coat closet. Being fall, many coats were in here, their soft outsides against my skin. I opened the door to the closet and sank to the floor.

"Catnip," he used the tone he uses before he finishes off a wounded animal.

"We've only created these weapons to make some of the Capital people who haven't turned-"

"To make them afraid, because a large amount of fear is good, a small amount of hope is needed, too much hope is dangerous." I remember Snow's words as I said that.

"Well, yes. But it's to keep us safe, Catnip. That's why you and Johanna are training. We need to keep ourselves protected; our families, our friends. Please, Catnip, understand." I nodded to his words.

"Now, I just got word that you are to be present with the other remaining victors to open a memorial of the Games in each district. The victors of each district will give a speech in their district. And you are to give one in 11. So, up you go. We have a lot of work to do." Gale pulled me up in his arms and lightly kissed my forehead. I nodded in recognition of his words.

It had only been two months since I came to 2, but most people knew me, and I knew a number of them. Dianna, the secretary, was a huge flirt with Gale and everyone knew. One day Gale was so sick of Di he made sure she would be coming down the hallway and kissed me long and hard, as if to get her off his back. But Di wasn't the only one constantly flirting with Gale. There was Blondie, as everyone called her. Her real name is Reba, and her job is to be the most distraction in the building. I don't even know her real job. Johanna told me she is a professional idoit, and I quite agree with her. Gilliard, or Gill, is our nutrition manager. I'm pretty sure Johanna used a knife to 'encourage' him to take dried fruits off our list. And the double chocolate cake I'm sure took a fair amount of prodding. Then there's Max. He is the funniest idoit in the world. He mostly makes cracks about other people, but we're pretty good friends. We all live in this building, literally. We sleep in our private dorms upstairs, eat in a common dining room for almost all our meals, and work in one building. In one sense we were one big family.

My room is in between Gale and Johanna. Both have doors to enter directly into my room when I have my nightmares. Johanna rarely sleeps during the night, so she usually is the first one to wake me. But Gale usually comes in shortly after Johanna wakes me up. If possible, Gale sleeps in my bed with me to help me have a nightmare-less night. Johanna knows of course, she knows everything that happens here, but nobody has figured it out yet, and we don't want everyone taking it the wrong direction. Unfortuneally Gale worked at the bomb plant on most nights. His job as the head of both departments was to make sure all bombs in his hands were safely disposed of. Gale also had to find bombs from tips from the people. That was Johanna's and mine job. Once the bomb was found, we had to sneak it out of the place, usually ending in arresting those who live in the building the bomb and taking them in for questioning. Gale has only given me one mission since I have come, but I have little training.

When Gale works late, I write letters to Peeta, Rory, Vick, Posy (she has sent me a few pictures she drew for me, now posted randomly around my room), Hazelle, Haymitch and Greasy Sae. Peeta writes as though he's happy for me and glad I'm with Gale, but I can hear his pain through his letters. Rory, an excellent wrestler due to the fact he has to control Peeta when his mind slips, has gotten into a number of fights with other boys at 12. Hazelle tells me everyone has stepped over the line time and time again now I'm not there. I promise that I will spend a day or two with them when I make the trip with the other victors. Haymitch will fill me in on the full details when we're on the train.

Tonight was one of the nights Gale was working late. I was writing a letter to Rory when Portia called me.

"Hello?" I asked the wireless phone when it rang.

"Katniss, it's Portia." Of course, Portia would take over Cinna's job to make me look pretty for the tour.

"How would you like to have your original skin back?"

"Sorry, what?" I switched the camera on so I could see Portia.

"Would you like to look normal again? And dear, you look awfully tired."

"Yea, I mean, yes I'm tired." I said rubbing my eyes. "So I could have continuous skin?" I looked at my patchwork skin.

"Yes dear. It would take about a week. We grow the skin in our labs, and then we soak your temporary skin off, and attach the new skin. We keep you here for a total of a week to take off the skin, put on the new skin, and toughen it." Portia smiled at me and tilted her head so her feathered headpiece shook.

"Wow that sounds too good to be true." I imagined have beautiful skin again.

"Great, after the tour we'll schedule you then! How about December 17?"

"Whoa Portia! I need to talk this over…" I started but was interrupted by Johanna,

"She'll take December 17th." Johanna said for me.

"Excellent! Tootles darling!" and Portia hung up with me.

"Johanna, what are you doing? I need to think about this.

"Why, so Gale has the option to have an ugly duck for a girlfriend."

"He hasn't said anything like that to me."

"Course he hasn't!" Johanna made a motion to slap my imaginary head. "Let's face it, Katniss. Your skin doesn't help your already ugly features. That's all Peeta sees in you. He sees a woman just like him. If you change, you'll actually have a chance to be good friends with the dope!"

"I guess your right."

"Course I'm right, now come help me seal the chocolates down stairs."

"Deal!" and I jump up. Chocolates were to die for even when you weren't on a strict diet.

Johanna sneaks out of my door first. Then we use the cracks in the ceiling as monkey bars to the end of the hallway. When we reach the staircase, we serf down the banister to avoid the detectors Max set up. Then we jump from the railing to the doorposts to door posts until we get to the kitchen. I use my feet to open the nob to the kitchen and stop in the middle of my swing in. The whole kitchen is rigged. I hear Johanna swear quietly.

"Johanna," I whisper to her.

"Yea?"

"There is a button over on the wall, if you hold onto my feet, you might be able to take down the system." Johanna nodded and lightly swung on to my ankles. My muscles burned as I held my body as straight as possible. Johanna pointed her toes to the button.

"Just an inch more Katniss." She whispered to me and I extended my arms to the max. Johanna presses the button with her toe and the rays turn off. Johanna jumps off my legs and I drop myself from the door's mantle.

"Ooo, Ice-cream." Johanna says as she opens the freezer.


	7. Chapter 7

By the time we arrive to my room, our bodies ache, but we have chocolates, ice cream, and two slices of cake. We sit on my bed and open the ice cream first.

"What was your child hood like, you know before the games took you?" Johanna asks me.

"It was great before Dad died. He and I would sneak over the fence every Saturday to hunt. We would have so much fun out there, making fun of the Capitol…" in the end, Johanna and I exchanged our childhood. We talked until we heard Gale come home. As quick as we could we hid the ice cream outside in my snow filled flowerpot, though no flowers could even live in this smog. I threw the chocolate box at Johanna as she shut her door. A second later Gale opened his door, and then came into my room.

"Hey, Catnip."

"Hey Gale." He leaned down to kiss me, but I was bursting with news.

"Gale, guess what!" I sang.

"Um, Max gave you chocolate?" Gale guessed

"No. Why would you guess?" I puzzled.

"Well, your breath smells like chocolate and you have a little something." He ran his finger on the corner of my mouth then licked his finger.

"Ah, caramel chocolates. Good choice." Gale smiled at me.

"No, but don't tell. Johanna and I will bodies so sore, we won't be able to complete a mission safely."

"Don't worry, Catnip." Gale laughed softly, "So what do you want to tell me so bad?"

"I'm getting my skin back!"

"I don't get it. Please explain." Gale asked me.

"They will regrow my skin from my DNA, then take off this tempory skin," I pulled at my skin, " and put on my skin. I will be seamless."

"Ok, how long will you be gone? And are you sure you want to do this?"

"A week; I thought you would like me better with nice skin."

"Catnip, I would love you if you had no skin. It doesn't matter what you look like to me, but if you want to do this, then I will fully support you no matter what decision you make." Then he leaned in and kissed me. Who knows how long we stayed together, but when we finally broke apart I didn't even realize my muscles were screaming. Something about us was like fire. As if Gale knew what I was thinking said,

"The Girl on Fire caught by the Boy with Traps." And we both laughed, I rolled into his chest to muffle my sound.

"You should change." I finally said.

"Why, do I stink?"

"No, I just don't want to sleep alone, and I'm really tired."

"I'll be back in a jiffy then." And Gale left me in my PJ's to crawl into my (well it's pretty much ours since Gale hasn't slept on his bed in about a week).

"Catnip?" Gale had come back and pulled the blankets around him-self.

"Yea," I turned to face him.

"I have to stay here while you go on your tour."

"But you were going as a guard."

"I know, but Parlord wants me to stay. We have some suspected 'clean bombs' I have to check out. But I'll be in 12 by the time you get there. Promise."

"K. Gale?"

"Mm."

"What if we could get this facility in 12? It would be a lot safer; Johanna and Beetee don't have family. Max has disconnected him-self from his family; Blondie and Di's families live in 13 already. Plus it would be a lot safer for all of us. That way Blondie and Di could be closer to their families, and we'll be with our families."

"Catnip, I've been trying to do that since we came here. We just need one more signature from the Capital and we can. Our O.K. or no should be here in a few days. If we're successful we should get word while you're on your tour."

"Do you think we'll win?"

"Well two 'no' men signed since you came. I think we'll be lucky. Right now we need to sleep." Yawned Gale.

"Night Gale."

"Night Catnip."

The day Johanna and I were to go to the Capital to start our tour dawned early. Gale like always, was still sleeping when I got up. I gazed at his peaceful face for a moment before I got out of bed. As I walked to the girls' bathroom, I hummed 'The Holly in the Ivy' as big thick flakes of snow came down. Christmas was going to be something this year. Gale, Johanna, Beetee, Max and I would go to 12 to celebrate. Johanna and I complained to Gale about Max coming but after a while, agreed he didn't have a family to go to. I ran the water in the tub until it was quite warm while I scrubbed my mouth. Johanna came in as I sank into my tub.

"You two were talkative last night." Johanna commented as she came in.

"Just updating each other." I replied.

"Sweet guy."

"Yea. Why are you up early? You usually sleep until noon."

"You and Gale put me to sleep. Actually I hit my head on my bed and I guess the nock out put me to sleep."

"You ok?" I eyed the lump on her temple."

"Yea, Blondie's make-up should do the trick." Johanna applied the skin tone powder to her bruise. She winced each stroke she took on her bruise.

"The pep team is going to love that." I told Johanna

"I don't really care. Maybe I can hide in the rafters until it's time to board the train."

"That would be nice."

"Good morning sunshines!" Blondie entered the bathroom. "Are you using my Rexburg?"

"Might be. I really don't know or care." Johanna answered and continued to brush makeup on to the purple lump.

"Give it back!" and Blondie lunged for her precious make up.

Johanna stood still and clicked the case together, her makeup job actually looked pretty good.

"I'm a professional killer, you are a professional beauty queen. If you fight me, who do you think will win?" Johanna asked Blondie holding a toothbrush in her fist.

"You will." Blondie responded quietly

"Exactly, I don't suggest you pick a fight with me. Johanna put the toothbrush back and walked coolly out of the room.

"Wow, she's grouchy. Do you know why?" Blondie asked me.

"We have Prep Teams today."

"Ooo, I'd love to have a prep team do me."

"Well for us, it's like going into the games again. Plus I usually hate everything they do to me.

I had just finished my bath and entered my room with a towel raped around my hair and a fuzzy bathrobe on. Johanna gave that to me as soon as I came here. Now she just walks naked from the bathroom to her room. But everyone has gotten used to that. I opened my closet. I pulled out a black shirt, a pair of jeans, a pair of boots that I found in Cinna's chest of things he made me, a lightweight dark green jacket. I secured my Mockingjay pin to my tee shirt and zipped my boots. I went over to the mirror and began to brush my hair. I was fairly successful since I am brushing my hair everyday.

"Hey Mockingjay." Johanna came into my room.

"Hi yourself."

"I thought I'd see Gale in there." Johanna gestured to my bed, now neatly made.

"Johanna, he just sleeps here to help my nightmares. That's it."

"OK, but so far, everyone one here thinks your, well you know."

"You told them that?!"

"No, Di heard you two last night. And her mind drifted."

"So you played along with that superstation?"

"Why not? Besides it was fun." Johanna smiled.

"Come on, we have to eat before we go to the Capital." I told Johanna as I opened the door.

"Prep teams are coming here." Johanna told me.

"Right. Blondie will love that."


	8. Chapter 8

"Katniss! How are you darling?" It was a few hours later and Portia had just entered the building flanked by my crew.

"Good, and you Portia?" I kissed both of Portia's cheeks, as she did the same. I put on a fake smile and acted gracefully.

"My goodness, we do have our work cut out for us." Portia exclaimed as she eyed Johanna and me.

"I don't need a team." Johanna told Portia coldly. Then walked out of the hall.

"Ignore her, Portia. She's well, off." I told Portia.

"Well, lets go to your room, and get you prepared." And Portia bustled around.

My team started to pluck my eyebrows and brush my hair, again. I tried to be patient and practice my small talk. But it just was soo difficult. I was relieved when Gale came in to my room.

"Catnip, we need you down stairs immediately. We found the bomb. It belongs to a syco Capital person. Should be easy."

"I'll be right down." I promised

"Um, no. Katniss need to be right here. We're not done." Portia protested.

"I'll be fine." I told Portia and followed Gale down stairs

"I could kiss you right now." I told Gale as we ran down the stairs.

"I wouldn't mind."

"No, people already think we're sleeping together."

"But we are."

"Not the way there thinking."

"I know, Max just chewed me out for it. And Di was complaining on how it wasn't her. She can be so irritating."

"So were do we go?"

"Johanna's not going."

"What happened to her?"

"Broke her leg climbing on the net."

"That's not like Johanna."

"I know. But don't worry, I'll be in your ear 24/7."

"Great. Now I'll have to follow orders." I grinned as we went into the shuttle room.

"Ear bud, camera contacts. We'll have surveillance on your body too. As in we'll be able to see your heart rate, blood pressure, pain level, and breathing. You get the point." Beetee told me as Gale put all the gear around my body.

"Good luck Catnip." Gale finished his job and I gave him a quick kiss. I went to my small craft and closed the door behind me. It was small with only the room for two people, one double stick and two peddles, I didn't have to worry about driving it unless something happened to Beetee and Gale who controlled it.

"Ok, lets take off." Gale spoke into my ear. I felt the small craft lift into the air.

"Katniss, were sending you the house blueprints." Gale told me. I heard Beetee's voice in the background.

"Ok, got them." I tell absolutely nobody as a 3-D graphic hologram pops up on my side.

"Find the entrance." Gale instructs me.

"Done." I touch the main door on the hologram.

"Find the hallway, it should be lighted."

"Yep."

"Follow the lighted path."

I follow the path using my figure, the hologram shifting as I turn or descend a set of stairs.

"It ends." I tell Gale.

"That's where we've located the bomb. Your job is to grab the bomb and get the hell out of there. Got it?"

"Chrystal clear."

"Just do me a favor and don't take out your ear bud. I'll talk only when necessary."

I paused, wondering if I should really promise Gale this. Knowing myself, this would be difficult to hold.

"Katniss?" Gale put some pressure in my name.

"O.K."

"Listen Catnip. You'll be at the house in about ten- sorry five minuets. Try to keep your self out of trouble, and don't get caught. Can you handle that?" I hear Gale smile at this last part.

"I think so Caption Hawthorne."

"Don't be reckless."

"I'm never reckless."

"Name one time you aren't when your out on the field." Beetee said into Gale's microphone.

"Great, now I have two men in my head."

"Get to work Catnip." And I don't here Gale anymore.

"Gale?" I ask after a minute or two of silence.

"Yea."

"Just making sure you're here."

"Always."

I climb out of the craft carefully while I'm still in the woods.

"Kind of of spooky, all alone in the woods."

"Katniss." Gale's tone makes me think more of the mission.

"I'll take the window going to the cellar." I tell Gale. Then sneak to the window. I listen for noises that might indicate a person in the basement when I don't hear or see anything I slide into the underground dip that is in front of the window. When I'm in front of the window, I use my laser nail file to dip to pop the window open then swing from the windowsill and land on the cement floor lightly.

"Turn right, you'll see a small door." True to Gale's words I saw a small door and opened it. Inside looked like torture chamber, an electric chair sat directly in front of me. Then I saw the bomb; small and lethal it sat on the desk at the side of the room.

"Found it." I whisper to Gale. I crossed the room and was about to touch it when a voice at the door said.

"Katniss Everdeenee, Mockingjay, Girl of Fire, Catnip." The girl at the door held the last word. "I've waited for you. I cut the ropes so Johanna would fall and wouldn't go on this mission. I have lived with you for two months, finding you greatest weaknesses, and building a bomb so Gale would find it."

I turn around slowly and gasp when I see Blondie standing at the doorway, a gun in her hand. I here Gale swear into my earpiece.

"Hang in there, Catnip, we're sending in men." Gale tells me.

Blondie pulls the trigger; I never saw it until a small dart hits me. I feel myself fall onto a spinning floor, until I can't hear Gale's voice and can't see anymore.


	9. Chapter 9

**Gale's POV**:

Beetee was shouting orders for crews to head out while I watched Katniss fall from the dart.

"Catnip, listen to my voice, concentrate. Pull the dart out. Catnip?" My screen goes black; she's shut her eyes. I watch her vitals as her heart rate goes faster and faster.

"She'll be fine. It's Katniss in there." Beetee told me as we both stared at her rapid heart. She skips a few heart paces, but Beetee assures me it's the dart. Then, it stops; I feel my own heart stop.

"No." I hear myself whisper. "No. Not her." And I drop my head in between my hands. "There's a mistake. It broke when she fell. See, her blood level is still the same.

"Gale." Beetee cautions me. "Gale, I'm so sorry. I wish there was more we could do. I'm sorry."

"She's not dead."

"Gale. You're being stupid." As Beetee says this, her blood empties her body.

"Caption, we're here… Caption?" the radio repeats Caption a few times, until Beetee says,

"Come home. She's dead. Not worth going in to get her body."

"Yes, Si-" there is a boom on the other side of the radio.

"Private, what happened?" Beetee asks.

"The bomb went off. We're far enough away we're fine. Most of us are in our ships."

"O.K., come home." And Beetee hangs up the radio. Realization floods me. She died, now the stupid bomb that I sent her on, went off and destroyed her body.

"It's all my fault." I tell myself. I feel like breaking something, anything. I get out and storm out of the room. As soon as I'm out, I run to Katniss' room. I lock the door and collapse against it, tear falling heavily. I don't know how long I cradled myself and cried, but it was vary dark outside when I got up. I went to her closet to the far end, where she kept her hunting gear. The cloths she came here in. I took the jacket off the hanger and inhaled. I smelled of blood, ash, and daises. I thought of all times we when hunting. The day Prim was reaped, how I proposed we run. Not because I was scared Katniss would be picked, because I was scared I would be picked. My eyelids grew heavy, and soon sleep stole me.

"Gale?" Johanna knocked on Katniss' door. "Gale we need to go. Katniss' funeral will be in 12 after the tour." I didn't respond.

"Gale." Johanna's tone changed from soft to normal. "I give you three seconds before I break this door open. One… Two…. Three." As promised the door was kicked open and Johanna entered. I stared at her from my spot in the corner of Katniss' room.

"Gale," Johanna ripped Katniss' jacket out of my arms. "We're leaving." And Johanna twisted my arm around until I got up and walked out of the door. She kept my arm twisted to my back until we got into the cab.

"I should have gotten Gale." Beetee told Johanna.

"We'd have missed the train." Johanna told Beetee simply.

"Gale, your family will need you when we go to 12. Please try to understand." I nodded in response to Beetee's request.

I stepped off the train; I was in 12 again. Many people had black in their shop windows to signify Katniss' death. A few I noticed had large pictures of Katniss. I put my head down and walked to the Victor's Village. Katniss told me my family now lived in her house. I walked the familiar steps to her house. Before I could knock on the door, Rory had opened it. He was about my height and started to grow large muscles. Katniss was right, he was a mini me.

"Hey, Rory." I told him.

"Hey Gale." Rory told me not, sure what to do. I stepped in, and Posy ran up to me.

"Hey Posy." I told her as she gave me a big hug. I was on one knee and holding her. I wanted to cry, to lock myself away, but I resisted the urge. Instead I got up and hugged Mother.

"Where's Vick?" I ask Rory

"He's with Greasy Sae. He helps her."

"Oh."

"Gale, there was nothing you could have done." Mom told me seeing my anger.

"Yes there was! I should have never sent her there! I should have let her stay in her room and let the prep team finish her. No, I wanted that bomb out of there. I put Katniss on that mission. I didn't do anything while she was in the house. I didn't do anything when she was shot with the dart. I didn't do anything. I just sat back and waited." To keep the tears from falling, I helped Mom with the dishes.

"Gale?" Posy was at my legs. "You're really brave." I leaned my head on the cabinet.

The next day the victors came back for Katniss' funeral. It seamed like the whole town grieved her death. Nothing was open. People from all over traveled to be present at her funeral. All those that fought for Katniss in the games, and all those who live and lived in 12 came to pay their respects to the Mockingjay. I stood next to Peeta and Mother holding Posy in my arms, in front of Katniss' gravestone.

"We are here today to grieve the life of Katniss Everdeenee. She was a good and faithful friend, our Mockingjay who gave us courage to continue on. She was family to some of us." President Paylor stood by her grave with a microphone in his hand, addressing us all.

"As tradition, those who want to, please say a few words of what Katniss meant to you, or some special memories you experienced with her."

Greasy Sae spoke first. "She always made sure I had fresh meat in my shop. She was a quiet person, doing things for us sometimes we never new." A few people murmured in agreement.

"She gave me life." Peeta said. "We were good friends, always at each other's backs, ready to take the shot. She gave me a reason to stay alive when I was in the Capitol." Peeta whipped a small tear from his eye.

"She gave us all a reason to live when we needed it the most." Rory spoke.

"She was like my sister. In the short time we had together, I felt I had someone I cared about." Johanna said from her spot next to Beetee. She was in crutches, another reminder how stupid I was to let Katniss go alone.

"She lived through hell most of her live, until the end. But she held it in. Didn't let anyone see her pain." Hazelle said.

"She had the worst manners and was either really stupid or brave." Haymitch said causing Peeta and Haymitch chuckle.

"Nobody could have done a better job at being our Mockingjay." Someone said.

"She really set the fire."

"She lived a life of fear after she volunteered for Prim." Haymitch said.

"She always put a smile on my face."

Paylor turned to me and asked quietly so nobody would hear: "Gale, anything you want to add." I shook my head. If I spoke, I would probably start crying.

"Beetee, I need to stay here for a while." We were at the train station after the funeral.

"I understand. Take as much time as you need, Gale." And Beetee used his hovercraft wheel chair to board the train.

"Gale," Peeta was standing behind me. I turned to look his straight in the eye.

"She chose you." Peeta told me.

"I know." I chocked. Then I walked past Peeta and went to Katniss' home.

"Gale, you need to stop blaming your self." Hazelle and I were making a salad for dinner.

"I made her a ring." I told Mom. Katniss and I had talked about getting married, and I made a soiled gold ring with a small green gem. Beetee had fixed it so she could use it for missions.

"We were supposed to settle down together. Enjoy life together. And I told her to go on that stupid mission. God I'm so stupid." Mom held me as I cried into her shoulder and soothed me.


	10. Chapter 10

**Katniss's POV:**

I snap my eyes open. I'm strapped to the electric chair.

"Gale? Gale?" I call his name, but to no avail. Blondie was smart enough to take out my earpiece, which held my tracker, and my camera contacts, which told Gale and Beetee my vital signs.

"Dam." I swear under my breath. I look down at my restrainers, steel handcuffs. There was no way I could get out of this. I let my head drop to the back of the chair.

"Ow." I complain after my head hits the cold steel chair. 'Knock your self out.' I tell my self and I lift my head to bang it again. I hit my head and hear a hallow bang. This was Blondie's flaw; my chance to escape. This time I use my whole body to slam against the chair. It takes several minuets and an aching body later until the chair breaks. I pull my ankles up and then twist my wrists and pull. Four pops tell me I'm free. I run out the door nearest me. There's a door in front of me and I can see sky out it. I race for the door and open it. I'm about to jump out of it when I see I'm about thirty thousand feet above ground.

"So you escaped my chair, now what Mockingjay? Call wittle Galeie and have him risk his life to save you? Well you can't." Blondie tells me.

I think of doing the only thing that will get out of here. I close the door, with a fair about of difficultly and lunge to Blondie. She braced her self and as I punched a blow that threw her to the ground, she dislocated my jaw. I took the opportunity that she was on the ground to pin her underneath me. I started punching her head until she was out cold if not dead. I didn't care though. I started to get up when she pulled a long dagger out of her belt and stabbed me.

"I was too careless." I thought as my blood gushed into her face. I ignored my body and wrestled with the knife and stabbed it into her back. I then kicked her body across the room. I assessed my body. I had a deep cut in my side, my leg was lashed open and I was loosing mega amounts of blood. I applied pressure to my side and ran to the cockpit. I saw our destination was home, District 12. She must have wanted Gale to see my mutated body, I figured. I saw the time we had left, twenty minutes. I must have been out for a few days I thought. By plane it took about five days of straight flying to get from the Capital to 13. I was taken in the outskirts of the Capital so I had to be out for about three days.

I thought of Gale, he must be worried sick. I saw a light flash and read, 'prepare for landing.' The craft hovered and sank lower to the ground; I saw we were in the far side of the town in a field. Guards gathered around the ship.

"Good help." I thought and let unconsciousness take me over.

"Mrs. Hawthorne, please leave. We need to operate immediately." I heard a woman's voice.

"Hazelle?" I whispered weakly. "Hazelle?" I said louder. They both heard me, and Hazelle rushed to my side. She looked like she hadn't slept properly in days, but looked fine other than that.

"We though you were dead." Hazelle told me holding my hand.

"Haven't died yet. I'm glad everyone has so much faith in my existence." I said Hazelle weakly.

"Does Gale?" I didn't need to finish that sentence.

"He's holding up. I didn't think you were actually alive, so I just came here when they called me. We'll all be here when you get out of surgery." Hazelle smiled encouragingly at me as two nurses wheeled me out.

"-And no excitement for a while. Her gut was cut open by the knife and it needs to heal. As little movement as possible is best. She needs pain killers every hour. We need to keep her here for a few days then you can take her home."

"Thank you, doctor." I heard Gale's voice.

"Sure thing Caption. She should be waking any time." And then the white coat in front of me left.

I closed my eyes to hear what Gale would say to me, since he was alone and he thought I was asleep. I heard Gale pull up a seat next to my bed and I fought the urge to open my eyes.

"Hey, Catnip." Gale whispered to me. "I promise what ever happens, I will never let you die. I can't live without you, Catnip. I'm so sorry I put you through this. It's all my fault. You could've been dead. I'm sorry." Gale held my hand to his lips, and I could tell he was on the verge of tear. I had heard all I needed to hear, so I opened my eyes.

"Hi, Gale." I whispered hoarsely.

"Catnip, I'm so sorry." Gale told me, "How are you feeling?"

"Not enough pain killers." I told him. Then I pulled him to me and kissed him. I felt him move from the chair to my bed, and all I could think of was Gale. How I needed him. I couldn't survive with out him.

"Better?" Gale asked me after we broke apart. My arms still linked around his neck, he still very close to my body. I pulled him close for a short kiss.

"Much." I answered him.

"There are a few people who are waiting to see you." Gale told me. Gale then crossed my small hospital ward and motioned to the people outside.

After many hugs and 'get well's and a few hours later, just a few people were in my room. Posy was putting the flowers she just picked in a vase by my bed. Rory and Vick were recreating my fight with Blondie after I told them. They did an exceptional job and got many laughs from the audience. Hazelle had gone home not long ago after I insisted she needed some sleep. Hazelle was nodding off in her chair. Peeta told me of Sandra, a woman he met in District 4. I was glad he found someone that had more in common with him than going into the Games together. Gale had just left his post to ask Rory and Vick to take Posy home.

"But we can stay up." Vick complained.

"Shh, Vick. See you tomorrow, Katniss!" Said Rory smirking at his older brother, and scooped up Posy.

"Thanks you guys." I called from my bed. So far I held all my pain to my self, not letting it out so people wouldn't fuss and the nurses wouldn't keep coming in.

"How are you holding up?" Gale asked me when his siblings were out of earshot.

"I would ask for more pain killers, but it would probably knock me out." I gave him a small smile. "I want to be able to wake up when I need to."

"Yea, I know what you mean." Peeta put in.

"So, Peeta where did you meet Sandy?" I asked Peeta pulling Gale onto the bed so I could lean against his body.

"Sandra and I," Peeta politely corrected me, "meet at a culinary convention in the Capital."

"So she bakes?" I asked trying to pay attention.

"Yea, she makes the best food in the world. I've got some of her cookies at home. I would have brought them today but I didn't think you'd want to eat after your surgery."

"What surgery? Wait, why didn't you tell me? What kind of surgery?" I shot questions at Peeta and Gale.

"It wasn't serious. Just had to fix some things." Gale told me quietly and shot Peeta a glance that I knew as 'why did you say that?'.

"You're keeping something from me." I told Gale, "Peeta what happened?"

"In your fight, your gut was torn. Well really cut. So they had to sew it. Like Gale said, you'll be fine."

"Gale?" I twisted around to look him in the eye, causing a sharp pain in my side.

"Katniss, we told you. Stop worrying." Gale said, obviously frustrated.

"No, not that, you'll tell me eventually. Is Blondie- did I-?" I couldn't come to say 'dead' or 'kill'.

"They tried, but there was nothing they could do."

I turned my face from Gale realized I was staring at Peeta, so I took the pillow from under my head and covered my face.

"Katniss don't blame yourself. We saw the footage from the ship, you were obviously trying to save yourself."

"I grabbed that knife- and- God, I could have kept her alive. I'm- I'm so –so stupid!" I shouted into my pillow in-between sobs.

"Catnip, it's not your fault. Blondie was crazy; it's better for her that she's dead. She would have spent the rest of her life in a insane house." Gale tried to sooth me.

"Katniss, I'll see you later. I need to get to sleep." Peeta told me as he got up. I nodded, not wanting anyone to know I was sobbing.

"Do you want me to go too?" Gale asked me. I shook my head 'no' and removed my pillow. Gale lifted my head and put the pillow under my head again. I then turned my body sideways so Gale had more room to lie down on my single hospital bed, and laid my tear filled head on his chest. Listening to his heartbeat slow and steady made me calm down and eventually I drifted in to sleep with his fingers running though my hair.


	11. Chapter 11

"You gave me a chance to live, Katniss. Yet your dating the man that took my life from me. How could you? You're supposed to love me!" Prim was screaming at me. I tried to hold her, tried to tell her it wasn't Gale's fault, to hug her again. Each time I bounced off the force field that held her. A Peacekeeper then took her out of my view. I screamed her name over and over.

Then something shook me. Huge mutts with foaming mouths walked up to me. I pulled the bow and arrows out from my back each one I shot; another would come into its place. Then I was drowning in the sea. I couldn't catch my breath. The carnivorous Monkeys had jumped on me now. I knew I was dead, so I quit struggling. The Monkeys stopped eating my flesh but my lungs were burning from not being able to breath. I tried to swim up to the top. I failed, I fell to the endless bottom. I saw daylight drift away from me.

"Catnip? Catnip, can you hear me? Listen to my voice. Concentrate on my voice." Gale's voice called me back to reality. My eyes snap open and I suck in deep breaths of air. Gale and several nurses stood over me, one had a breathing mask, but took it off when I started breathing on my own. The other was preparing a shot.

"Just something to help you sleep dear." She told me kindly to my questioning look.

"No, she doesn't need that." Gale told her firmly.

"I have my orders, sir." She replied holily.

"I have my orders, to take care of Katniss. I can't let you do that." Gale told her as he grabbed her hand. Within seconds the syringe fell into Gale's waiting hand.

"You don't know the first thing about medicine!" the nurse complained.

"I might not, but I do know what is better for Catnip."

"Please leave, _Captain_." The nurse told Gale.

"No!" I shouted.

"Don't worry Catnip. I'm not going anywhere." Gale told me softly.

"Put Miss. Everdeenee on more morphine." The hotty nurse told her silent assistant.

"No, I don't need more morphine." I told them, but they both ignored me. "Gale, I can't have more." My already sweaty body gushed with fear, as I thought of all the dreams I would be trapped in.

"With extra pain killers and sleeping meds, she will be trapped in her own dreams. You can't do that to her."

"Move aside, or I'll have to ask you to move." The nurse said.

"Over my dead body." Gale breathed.

"You have thirty seconds to get out of this hospital. One. Two. Three. Four…" the nurse counted starring straight into to Gale's eyes.

"Stop!" I yelled. My appendix screaming at me for that simple word, but it got their attention.

"Everdeenee, I need to give this to you, O.K., sweetie? It will help you sleep." The nurse baby talked me.

"I said," I took the syringe from her hand and stabbed it into the wall, "I don't want it." I stared at the shocked nurse and saw Gale hold back a laugh out of the corner of my eye.

"You'll be happy to know, you're to be released tomorrow." The nurse huffed away her assistant close to her heals.

"Well done, my little Mockingjay." Gale chuckled as he sat on my bed allowing my exhausted head to rest on his shoulder.

"That's what you get for messing with a professional killer in training."

"You should try to sleep. I'm sure Posy, Rory, Vick, and Peeta will be here early." Gale leaned down and kissed my hair, allowing his lips to linger there.

"When they come, go home and rest up. I'll come home with the others."

"What if you need help?" Gale asked me obviously vetoing my proposal.

"Rory is as big and almost as strong as you. Plus Peeta could almost carry me single handily."

"I'll stay." Gale said, his face told me he envisioned Peeta and me together.

"Gale were just friends. I'm too weak to argue with you again." I told Gale starring into the ceiling. 

"I'll believe that when he dies."

"Gale! No, you need to stop that, immediately." I lightly punched him in the ribs. Well I wanted to punch him hard, but I was too weak to make any kind bruise. Instead Gale just laughed.

"How's Johanna and those guys?" I changed the subject.

"Fine, I guess. I haven't spoken to them since your funeral. Mom told them you are alive and they're coming to see you." Gale paused as if he were thinking of past memories, then said, "I've never seen Johanna so quiet and cry, until your funeral. But I guess everyone has feelings, even Johanna."

"Wow, she must have been really crushed. Johanna has a heart of cement."

"She was forced to act like that, just so the Capital wouldn't get the best of her. Look at Finnick, he never told a soul about Annie. He kept his love a secret to protect her. Sometimes it's easier to act strong that to let emotions spill." Gale's wisdom hit me like a spear through my heart. Goosebumps rose from my toes to my forehead ending in the roots of my hair, near Gale's cheek.

"Gale?"

"Shouldn't you try to sleep?" He asked me.

"I don't sleep much anymore."

"Ok, so what's pressing to your mind that cuts into my sleep time."

I nudged Gale in his side before saying, "When can I go back to work?"

"Surprise!" Gale cheered as he half carried me into Hazelle's familiar house. On the way back home, I had almost collapsed from exhaustion forcing Gale to carry me most of the way.

"Katniss!" Coursed Rory, Vick and Posy. All three of them ran into me from where they were. Posy, standing over the sink helping her mother with breakfast's dishes, reached me first nearly knocking me out the door.

"Easy guys, she's fresh out of surgery!" Gale chuckled supporting my bodyweight so I wouldn't fall. Vick, up to my ribcage now, gave me a hug so tight, I thought I might explode, and Rory wrapped his arms around my neck much more gentle then his siblings.

"Welcome home, dear." Hazelle said embracing me. I smelled a combination of dough and charcoal and my stomach growled in recognition.

"Thanks, Hazelle." Since I got back from my first Games, Hazelle has seemed more like my mother than Prim's mother was. I refused to associate Mom with my mother; it was easier that way.

"You must be starving!" Hazelle gestured to my stomach and led me to the kitchen. I saw Gale and Rory talking in the entrance way then Gale left.

"Where's he going?" I asked Rory digging into my eggs. I was glad people could now afford cheese. Cheese made everything taste better, though the eggs made me think of the Capitol.

"Oh, he'll be back." Rory smiled. I could tell by his grin that he was holding a secret from me, but I didn't have much time to dwell on it. Peeta strolled into the house carrying a large box.

"Guess what Uncle Peeta!" Posy called looking up from decorating the dollhouse Gale and Rory made her.

"No idea. Welcome back Katniss!" Peeta set down the box and swooped Posy up into a hug. I looked at Peeta and couldn't hold back a smile; he was great with kids. Posy whispered something into Peeta's ear and giggled.

"Well, that is huge." Peeta told Posy as he set her down. Then he turned to me and I stood facing him.

"It's good to see you upright." Peeta embraced me. I breathed in his sent of flour and icing.

"Good to be back, Peeta." I told him.

"Katniss!" A female voice screamed my voice as a door closed. I jumped back in surprise and Peeta had to catch me as weakness swept over me. Di took me from Peeta's holding arms like I was a doll to her dispense and rocked me back and forth while holding me in a hug like embrace.

"Hi, Di. Um, Di?" I greeted her.

"Oh, Katniss, I thought were dead. You almost killed us. We-" Di was sheading joyful tears on my sweatshirt while still rocking me.

"Di, if you don't let go, I'm going to die." I told Di. She was so excited, I hated to burst her bubble, but I had to breath. It didn't take long to weigh my options; Di had to be sacrificed.

"Di, don't be stupid." Johanna pulled the already released Di from me. "Hey Mockingjay. How are feeling?"

"Fine. I mean, as fine as I could be who just got her gut cut." I smiled at Johanna. I was defiantly good to have her with me.

"Katniss, you're a wreak." Johanna had a great way of telling the truth.

"Yea, well she's alive. That's a bonus." Max said holding his arms out for a hug. Seemed everyone wanted a hug anymore.

"And the best part, I don't have to follow your diets for a while." I told Johanna who stuck her toung out at me, but I doubt she really meant it.

"Ah well. I've got a whole lot of people to diet. I can give up a person for that." Max said.

"Why's that? The Hawthorns can take care of me until I can go back to work." I looked to Beetee in his wheelchair holding an envelope and Gale's face beaming with pride and delight.

"We got the O.K. to move here!" Gale sang.

"That's amazing!" Gale picked me up; I lifted my legs up so he could spin me around.

"So, this is home now. We just need Annie and Finnick and we'll all live here." Johanna said in a slightly happy, but mostly her usual board and dark voice.

"At least we're going to be together." Rory said to Johanna as if to tell her off. He would learn.

"Congratulations, Gale." I told him, still in his arms. I remembered when I was in the Games with Peeta, when Peeta gave me the locket I still wore under my shirt. Peeta never made me feel like life was perfect. Also every time I was in Peeta's arms, I was in front of cameras from the Capitol. Still, Gale was better. Gale knew me where Peeta didn't know what to do. Gale protected me fully where Peeta protected me physically. But that's how Peeta and I were. Friendship formed from necessity. Gale and I formed our relationship from a friendship.

"You must be hungry." Hazelle said from the stove. Johanna immediately went to the stove pulling out a plate as she went. I wondered momentarily when she learned where the plates were stored. Then I remembered Gale telling me they had to leave about a day after I woke up from surgery.

"I will serenely take you up on that offer." Replied Beetee politely rolling his chair to the counter in front of the stove. I smiled at the fact that maybe, for once, my life will be slightly normal. Maybe everything will be O.K.


	12. Chapter 12

Ten Years Later

"On your left!" Johanna yelled at me, still wrestling with a large man weaponless against a large dagger. Only Johanna could come out alive from a fight against a dagger, killing the apoinint with her bare hands. I swung my arm left and felt my own knife hit something solid. A groan that followed told me the knife Haymitch gave me on my wedding day made contact. Without turning around, I wiped out a smaller knife and flung it at Johanna's attacker. I drove home right into his skull.

"Nice shot, but I would've had him in a sec." Johanna told me through puffs.

"I know, I just didn't feel like pulling out the popcorn." I told Johanna. "Come on, I don't want to spend extra time here."

"Yea, Cinna can't live more than five hours with out me." Johanna said, punching my arm lightly.

"It's odd really, going out on missions when you have a toddler at home." I said thinking about my son waiting with Gale at home in 12. I kicked the heavy oak doors open and held my hand over my eyes, shielding them from the early morning sun. Silently Johanna and I boarded our small craft destined for home, both to tired to talk.

Many ask me why I do what I do for a living. Maybe it's all I know. Possibly it is because I'm convinced to put our traitors to justice so my child will have a safe world to grow up in. What ever the reason, Gale and I are happily married living with our baby son, Cinna and 'family': Johanna, Beetee (just celebrated 90th birthday) Haymitch, Max, Hazelle and Posy. Both Vick and Rory live on their own, Rory in 13 with his wife, and Vick in 4 working with the shipping industry making sure each district is given what they need. Posy just turned fourteen and, Gale says, looks like me. Unlike me, Posy would rather color people's hair or design a new dress than go into the woods.

Peeta finally married Sandra and they have four-year-old twin girls. They remind me so much of Prim, their golden hair braided back usually decorated with fresh flowers. Peeta's business has grown steadily with Sandra's culinary skills and Peeta's artistic talents. They now have a restaurant attached to it and serve all 14 districts.

I lean against my leather seat gripping the sticks to the craft.

"Good morning, ladies." Gale's voice fills the speakers as the engines start up. "We hope you enjoy your flight home. Please remember to fasten you seatbelts and drink your coffee."

A flicker of humor spreads across our faces as Johanna says, "You gotta love our job, free coffee, awesome bodies, and **a voice that never lets you brain think!**"


End file.
